π΄ββ οΈπ #11: The coding project that changed my life
Hey Pirate π΄ββ οΈ
π» If I were to choose the best coding project of my life, what would I choose? Would it be one of the microservices I worked on during my time at Microsoft, or the marketing platform I implemented when I was an SDE at Amazon? No, without a doubt, my top pick would be the Personal Finance App I created from scratch as a hobby. Above all other experiences, I still value this project because it taught me the most. ποΈ
π’ Working at tech giants is rewarding, offering opportunities to tackle interesting and challenging problems on a large scale. However, one of the significant drawbacks is that the sheer size of the company often makes it difficult to grasp the entire picture. The project you work on as part of a team of 5-10 engineers is merely a tiny fragment of the engine powering the entire vehicle. You may understand how to power it, but you have no idea how it runs as a whole. ποΈ
β‘οΈ This knowledge gap became more apparent when I joined Microsoft and started working on microservices that serve millions of customers daily. It was then that I decided to dedicate a small portion of my time each day to building an app from start to finish. I realized that while I might not be able to assemble a vehicle on the scale of Microsoft's, I could gain a better understanding of the assembly process by building with Lego blocks. π§©
π In short, it was a tremendous success. The experience not only deepened my software development skills but also helped me stand out as one of the few engineers capable of being full-stack on the team. Tasks that my colleagues only knew how to handle partially, I could handle from end to end. π€
π³ The lesson of this anecdote is that it's never too late to try something new. Opening one door can lead to not just another door, but multiple doors. I encourage you to try as well. To stay motivated, build something that genuinely interests youβa project that you would enjoy using every day. It should be substantial enough to be engaging yet small enough to be achievable. While the toy car you build may not be recognized by others, the lessons you learn are permanent. π
π And who knows where that car will take you once you set the wheels turning? Only those who dare to explore will discover. π«
ποΈ Thatβs it for today. Thank you for reading, and Iβll see you all next week. Arrgh!
PK π
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βOnly those who dare to explore will discover.β
